WIP

Ozmandus, a History in Brief

1 – People exist in simple societies, largely led by chieftain or council types of governance. The economy is based around agriculture, sheep and pig pastoralism, and trade between other populations.

2 – The Lurlinist faith originates in three major populaces, but has very little structure.

3 – Larger populations begin to war with and conquer each other, developing more complex systems of governance as territories expand. The continent stabilizes at five major kingdoms.

4 – Regular Lurlinist rituals, festivals, and ceremonies develop around major seasonal markers. There is large variation and inconsistency in these rituals between populations, but they are principally to the same nature. Larger populations commonly have a priest or priestess as their spiritual leader.

5 – Over a decade and a half, all other nations are conquered and assimilated by the child queen Ozim. She attributes her incredible military success to being a direct descendant of Lurline. A matriarchy is established, and official action is taken to spread the Lurlinist faith, which gains an immense foothold as land is conquered. The empire is named Ozmandus, meaning “united under Ozim”. The defeated kings of Aswar, Lopril, Uskella, and Vashus swear fealty to Ozim, officially recognising her as the daughter of Lurline, and Commandant of the Enchanted Mandate.

6 – Ozmandus sees a rapid increase in quality of life. Greater infrastructure is developed to facilitate trade between provinces. Merchants and traders affectionately name their route “The Golden Hand,” as its five major roads extend from the central province.

7 – Death of Ozim I.

8 – Rule under Ozim II, III, and IV stagnates substantially. Their reigns are short-lived and largely uneventful. Border skirmishes with barbarian tribes lead to loss of land over the decades. Aswar, Uskella, and Vashus revolt, reclaiming their independence from Ozmandus.

9 – Entering the fourth Ozim generation, the invention of paper. The Lurlinist faith is documented, although with several variations. These documents focus solely on the creation myth, and are spread throughout the continent.

10 – Ozim V. New efforts are put into scientific research and development, with direct patronage from Ozim. A new corps is developed, known as The Innovators. Consisting of one hundred men and women, their duties are to focus on scientific research that will aid the crown from a military perspective. Thought leader and appointed High InnovatorKumbricia Paff excels at this, designing several new war machines and military tactics. The lost territories are rapidly returned to Ozmandian rule. Ozim V establishes a universal written language, uniting the people of Ozmandus under one word, and increasing literacy greatly.

11 – Death of Kumbricia Paff. Paff’s son, Andreggon, having apprenticed under his mother, is appointed as the new High Innovator. However, times of peace leave little room for the design of war machines, and little commission for the Innovators. Paff spends much of his time studying the natural sciences, embittered at Ozim V.

12 – Paffism is founded within the secret meetings of some Innovators. It is a religion based on scientific observation.

13 – Paffism begins to spread among covert groups of intellectuals. Lurlinism is preached as an over-simplified and dated set of concepts for larger ideas that are now understood by Paffists. Disagreement spreads within the scientific community about the status of the Ozim lineage. Some believe the Ozims to still be of divine descendance, although under a new definition. Some believe there is no longer any religious basis for Ozim’s claim to the throne.

14 – Andreggon Paff begins to amass followers from the middle and upper class. His military clout bears a great appeal to those who are still bitter from the Ozim reclamation of land. Lurlism spreads like wildfire, further separating those who support the Ozim lineage, and those who do not. Allies divide themselves into two groups, calling themselves The Faithful and The Enlightened.

15 – Civil war rages for the greater part of a decade. The Faithful eventually surrender to The Enlightened, who are led by Andreggon Paff. Paff takes claim as the new king, and is assassinated soon after.

16 – Despite the assassination, The Faithful do not take power. Years of warring have left both parties fatigued and low on resources. Boracious Paff replaces his cousin within The Enlightened as the High Innovator. In order to keep peace with The Faithful, he acknowledges some legitimacy to the Ozim lineage, allowing the title of Queen to remain with the child Ozim VI, and keeping hostages from all major households within The Faithful.

17 – The Faithful, under duress, return to the service of Ozim, whom they cannot deny is their rightful Queen. The Enlightened, having rejected and divine rationale for Ozim’s claim, cannot argue those rights for anyone else either. They accept Ozim as a puppet monarch, and follow the rule of Boracious as their leader.

18 – News spreads across the nation that Ozim has fallen under a terrible sleeping sickness. Doctors, wizards, chemists, and herbalists are sought out all across the nation to cure the sickness, to no avail. Many hold to the belief that Ozim VI will one day awake, markig a new era and the return to glory of the Ozim bloodline.